Last Minute
by Eraser Raiin
Summary: Three years. I'd had three years to tell him. Plenty of time. But I'd left it too late. And now... I was going to lose him forever... Oneshot; One-sided TailsxSonic. Tails' POV.


_A/N: I don't know where this idea came from. I wasn't actually going to write it, but it actually turned out pretty good! Oh ya, Sonamy fans probably shouldn't read this... Tails is 17, BTW._

* * *

"Tails?" Sonic reached over and waved his hand in front of my face. I blinked, shaking my head from side to side, repeating the three and a half words I'd just heard from him.

"You're... getting.... married?" I choked, my head whirling.

Amy snuggled happily into Sonic's side.

"I always said we'd get married, didn't I, Sonic?" She smirked. Sonic smiled back down at her. I turned my head away as they kissed right in front of me. I couldn't watch.

They broke away after what seemed like hours. I gave a tiny shudder.

"Hey, Amy, I need to talk to Tails," Sonic said. "Mind going to tell the others without me?"

Amy giggled. God knows why, because nothing was funny, and ran off obediently. Sonic watched her go, and then turned to me, clearing his throat.

"Uhh... Listen, Tails. I'd been planning this for.... a long time, and I've been through it over and over in my head.... and uhh, I was wondering... I mean, no-one else seemed close enough to me..." He took a deep breath, as though he might be regretting what he was going to say.

"Will you be... my best man, Tails?"

Best man. The _best._ I'm not the best. I'm possibly the very very worst.

Sonic stared at me, awaiting my answer anxiously. I sniffed, tears filling my eyes.

"Yes," I mumbled, tears spilling. "Of course I will."

Sonic said nothing, walking over and hugging me.

"Thank you Tails," He whispered.

He thought I was crying because I felt happy he'd chosen me.

Honered.

No. That's completely wrong.

I pulled away from Sonic's hug and ran out of the room. Sonic yelled after me, but I ignored him, thundering upstairs and into my bedroom.

I threw myself onto my bed and cried harder, hoping that Sonic had gone to catch up with Amy.

I couldn't believe it.

They were getting _married_?

I didn't want to be the Best man.

I wanted to be the groom. No, I wasn't in love with Amy.

God no.

I wanted to be the _second_ groom.

I was in love with Sonic.

He didn't suspect a thing. Ever since I was fourteen, when I'd fallen in love with him for the first time.

He hadn't worked it out.

"Tails?" Sonic appeared at the door. I'd stopped crying, but he'd obviously heard me, and my face was probably a giveaway, too.

I sat up, sniffing and scrubbing at my face. He came and sat next to me.

"Tails," he said gently. "Tell me what's wrong."

I swallowed. I had to tell him now. There was no way I could kid him it was nothing.

For a minute or two we sat in silence, just me sniffing quietly. Then I could tell Sonic was getting impatient. It wasn't fair. I knew him more than anyone ever could. The only problem with that was that he knew me too well.

"Tails. Come on. Tell me what's wrong."

"... I... don't deserve this, Sonic..."

"What? What are you talking about Tails?"

I started crying again, feeling like a stupid baby.

"...You don't w-want me t-to be your best man, S-Sonic..."

Sonic frowned at me.

"Of course I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to be. C'mon, what's made you think that?"

I sniffed. I swallowed. Could I really tell him...?

"I'm gay." I choked, staring down at my feet, hands trembling uncontrollably.

Sonic stared at me, his eyes unblinking. He hated me and I hadn't even told him that _he_ was my crush.

"Well... Just because you're gay... Doesn't mean that..." He stopped and cleared his throat again. "I still want you to be my best man, Tails."

"Do... d-do you h-hate me?"

He blinked, shaking his head quickly.

"No! No, of course not..." He reached out, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You're still my best friend, Tails, and this won't change anything. Ok?"

I nodded. What else could I do? Sonic didn't want anything to change. If I told him, it would change a hundred things.

I couldn't do it.

But I would. As he stood up, smiling reasuringly at me and walking out the room, I made myself a mental promise.

I'd tell him tomorrow.

***

But I didn't tell him the next day.

Or the next.

Or any day that week.

Or the next week.

Everyone was helping Sonic and Amy get everything ready for the wedding. Everybody was excited about it.

Yep. Even Shadow, who had become a good friend to Amy after the ARK incident.

Not me though. Sonic hadn't told anyone about what I'd told him, and we hadn't really mentioned it much. Until we went shopping for something. A suit for Sonic. Gray. Or black maybe. I wasn't really paying attention. All I know is that we were alone, with just the shop assistants. Those interferring bastards.

Sonic had just been measured up and fitted with a suit. He tugged it down, straightening the cuffs and smiling into a full-body mirror.

"It's perfect," He grinned. His voice was kind of thick, like he'd start crying any minute. He turned around to face me.

"What do you think, Tails?"

I raised my head. I hadn't been concentrating properly. I was simply gazing at Sonic's face in the mirror.

"Hmm, what? Oh... it's fine, really. I mean... It looks good on you, Sonic." I worried a little after saying it, in case it gave too much away. But he seemed to be pleased. He smiled, anyway.

"It really suits you," A female assistant smiled. She glanced at me. "Think it might look good on you too?" She asked.

I assumed she was talking about my Best man's suit, so I nodded eagerly. She smiled again. It was getting really irritating. Everyone was so happy nowadays, whereas I just seemed to get more and more depressed.

Turns out she didn't mean my suit for Sonic's wedding.

"Well then," She said, "I'll put one aside for your wedding, shall I?"

I felt my face burn, obviously scarlet-cheeked. Sonic leaned over.

"Two men can get married you know," He hissed.

The assistant smirked at me.

"Oh sorry. I didn't realise you were..."

I noticed Sonic's stunning green eyes flare as she failed to finish her sentence.

"Well, why would you have done? It's none of your business at all. Just... mind your own, got it?"

She stopped smiling after that, and looked really relieved after we'd paid and left.

"I'm sorry, Sonic." I mumbled.

He reached over again, giving my shoulder a tiny squeeze.

"Hey, c'mon," He said quietly, with a voice so soft, so caring, it made me feel weak. "It's not your fault, Tails. You can't help... You know, being attracted to the same gender as yourself. She had no right at all to say that."

I swallowed, staring hard at my shoes until they started to blur.

"Tails?"

I blinked, feeling hot tears run down my face.

"Tails..." His hand extended out towards my shoulder. I shrugged him away and ran home.

***

We didn't mention it at all until the night before the wedding. Neither Sonic nor Amy wanted the 'Traditional' night, with life-threatening amounts of alcohol and strippers. They decided on a quiet night in with all of their friends. Beer, but not much, and sophisticated talk.

Sonic invited me, Knuckles and Shadow, and Amy invited Cream, Rouge and Blaze.

Everyone was talking about the wedding. It was getting really tiring hearing the words 'Dress', 'Flowers', and 'Honeymoon' a million times over.

Amy was sitting on Sonic's lap all evening. It looked so childish, but I couldn't help wanting to do it myself. I could just imagine curling up on Sonic's lap, buring my head in his warm chest and breathing in his sweet smell as he stroked my head...

"Hey, Tails wake up." Knuckles grinned, nudging me. My body jerked as I woke up from my fantasy.

"You've been dreamy all evening, Tails." Amy observed. It was none of her business at all, but that didn't usually stop her. "What's on your mind?"

"Are you in love, Tails?." Someone sniggered. I felt my face flush deep crimson. Why did I always have to be so damned obvious?

Everyone burst out laughing, laughing at me. To be honest, I wouldn't have cared at all – until I saw Sonic smirking at me.

He knew.

He knew and he still mocked me.

He was just like everybody else.

I felt my eyes fill up with tears, though I didn't actually start crying.

"Who is it Tails?"

"Yeah, what's she called?"

Sonic's grin fell.

"Do we know her?"

I sniffed desperately. Sonic scowled.

"C'mon Tails!"

"Tell us who she is!"

"Shut up, all of you!"

This was Sonic. He stood rigid, fists clenched, teeth gritted, snarling at everyone. They shut up quickly.

Amy had been shoved off of Sonic's lap. She creawled over, taking his hand.

"What's wrong Sonic?" She asked. "We were only teasing him." Sonic looked at her, calming down.

"I know, it's just that..." He sighed, staring at the floor before looking up at me. "Tails..?"

He wanted me to tell them all.

Could I?

I cleared my throat.

"... Umm... Well, you see uhh... the thing is.... I... kinda..." I swallowed hard. Sonic was looking right at me, encouraging me with his eyes. Those... beautiful green eyes...

"I'm... umm... n-not really a-attracted to uhh...to girls..." My voice trailed off. I had a feeling I didn't need to say any more.

Everyone was completely quiet. Sonic was getting silently angry again at everybody's reactions.

Amy spoke up eventually.

"... You're uhh... gay?"

"So what if he is?" Sonic snapped back immediately. He was being so kind to me. It was making me feel so guilty. "I can't believe you guys could be so heartless."

"I wasn't," Amy replied calmly. "It doesn't change anything. Tails is our friend, and I don't care whether he's attracted to men or women, or both. I wouldn't care if any of our friends turned out to be gay." She turned to me. "I hope you can tell whoever it is how you feel, Tails."

I couldn't help crying then. It started out as an odd choking sound, then several jumpy sniffs. Then I was sobbing loudly, covering my face with my hands. I felt like a complete idiot with everyone staring at me like that, but I couldn't stop.

I suddenly felt someone take gold of my shoulders and lead me out of the room. They closed the door behind them and steered me in the direction of the kitchen.

My face was still buried in my palms, but I could have easily guessed who it was.

"...Tails..."

I howled harder.

Sonic pulled me into a gentle hug. I know it was just a brotherly gesture, but I couldn't help clinging onto him tightly, nuzzling into his stomach, breathing him in...

"Come on, Tails... Don't cry. I know this a confusing time for you, but... you can't...let other people..." He sighed, finishing mid-sentence.

"...I-it's...n-not...f-fair, Sonic... I d-don't w-want to f-feel like this..."

"I know, Tails."

But he didn't.

He could never know.

Not unless I told him...

I lifted my head to look directly into his eyes.

"...Sonic..."

"What?" He was staring right back down at me, ready to listen.

He was getting married tomorrow. I couldn't...

I blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Sonic smiled at me, ruffling my hair like he used to do.

"Of course. Why don't you go up now? You'll need a lot of energy for tomorrow."

He didn't have to remind me.

I trudged upstairs regardless.

That was it. Sonic was getting married tomorrow, and then I'd have lost the chance to ever tell him.

He'd be Amy's forever, till death do they part.

Three years. I'd had three years to tell him. Plenty of time. But I'd left it too late. And now... I was going to lose him forever.

***

Bells. White dresses and black suits. Flowers everywhere, their stench sickeningly sweet.

I shifted around uncomfortably on the hard wooden seat. Sonic and Amy stood hand-in-hand at the front of the room, gazing at each other as the vicar droned on.

I felt sick. So had Sonic, the morning before. I had to tell him not to worry, that everything would be fine, he'd be so happy, and Amy would be overjoyed to finally be marrying him at last.

But nothing was fine. Everything was going according to plan.

As the vicar drew closer and closer to the 'I Do's, I could _feel_ time running out, slipping through my fingers like sand.

"Tails, are you Ok? You look ill." Knuckles hissed to me.

I _felt_ ill. I was pretty sure I was gonna throw up all over everywhere.

"And if anyone knows of any lawful impediment why these two should not be joined together in holy matromony..."

My heart leaped up.

No.

No, I couldn't...

"Speak now or forever hold your peace."

I stood up, legs trembling. Everyone turned to stare at me, before mumbling to each other.

"Yes?"

I took one step forward.

Sonic stared at me.

"Tails? What the hell are you doing?" He hissed.

I took a deep breath, swallowing hard.

And...

_I'm so so sorry, Sonic..._

I ran forward quickly, grabbing the sides of Sonic's face and kissing him.

I heard gasps fill the room, Amy's the loudest of all.

My head twisted furiously.

I don't know how long it lasted. Minutes, probably.

I broke away eventually and stood, panting breathlessly as I stared into those gorgeous emerald orbs.

"I love you, Sonic." I whispered. Even when he was glaring at me, his face full of hatred, I couldn't help it.

He was just so beautiful.

His voice was quiet. "You... You bastard." His eyes flared up as he leapt at me. "You _bastard_!"

I gasped, jumping from his grip and running out of the church, faster even than Sonic could have ran. And I carried on running, knowing I could never, ever go back.

I'd never see Sonic again.

But I didn't care.

Really.

I'd kept my promise and told him before he got married.

And I kissed him.

Heh.

* * *

_A/N: The ending really sucked... reveiws'd be nice._


End file.
